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So you want to teach children how to play basketball. The first thing that needs to be resolved is what age group are you intending on teaching. The reason such an issue needs to be resolved is because there are different methods that apply to different groups. Believe it or not, there are children who make it to be 12-13 years of age and never really learned how to play the game of basketball the right way. Living in the inner city of a metropolitan area and coaching basketball for nearly 15 years now I have seen some young men and young ladies that know the game and can play a mess around game like "Horse" or "21" but do not understand the rules and nuances of the sport. So what I will do today for those parents and coaches looking to reach different age groups let me provide a few tips.

Now these tips I will lay out very simply are three fold; part one will be for the parent, part two will be for the coach and part three will be for the coaching parent. This way is best because all areas are covered and will not only help the child but the supervising adult as well. I have had the opportunity of coaching all age groups from 5-21 and each group has a different feel. But for today's tips we'll limit it to ages 5-13. Important note here: DO NOT BELITTLE THE CHILD'S UNDERSTANDING. BECAUSE OF VIDEO GAME SYSTEMS LIKE PLAYSTATION, X-BOX AND ETC AND GAMES LIKE NBA2K AND NBA LIVE, THESE CHILDREN UNDERSTAND THE GAME A LITTLE BETTER THAN YOU THINK.

5-7 Years of Age:
o Parents: If you have a 5-7 year old child that wants to learn to play basketball the key thing here is to make the game fun. Get outside with your child and teach them how to catch and pass the ball. Make a game of it by seeing how many they can catch in a row without the ball touching the ground. See who can dribble the furthest without losing control of the ball.
o Coach: 5-7 year child willing to learn the game you have to follow the same steps as the parents make it fun. Have the player dribble up the court with the right hand and back with the left and see if can control the ball. Get an adjustable rim and lower it to 7 or 8 feet. See who can make the lay-ups in a three minute time frame and then see who can make the longest jump shot. And when teaching this age group games should not be about personal achievements but about the team. Keep score but do not keep record of the player's personal score, it will discourage others.
o Coaching Parent: Your task is a little different. When you are a coach and

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